Some Things You Never Knew
by xXMidnaGirlXx
Summary: When a French princess comes along, cowboy Jedediah and Roman general Octavius develop quite the eye for her, but best friends Charlotte and Victoria discover something buried beneath the surface that they need her help to bring out.
1. The Princess of France

Octavius awoke to see a new display across the room from his own.  
"What on earth...?" he asked aloud. "A new exhibition?"  
"Hey, Octy!" came a familiar cry. He smiled and looked down the edge of the wall.  
"Greetings, Jedediah! Are you aware of the new display across the way?"  
"That's why I came o'er!" the cowboy shouted. "I dunno who they are!"  
"Would you like to go find out?"  
He smiled. "I'd like that very much."

"Hey, you newbies!" Jed shouted, glaring at every citizen he saw. "Do ya think you can just strut in here and take over or somethin'?"  
Octavius placed his hand on his shoulder. "Jedediah... calm yourself."  
"How the hell am I supposed to calm down?" he hissed. "We're being invaded, Octy!"  
"How do you know they are hostile?"  
"I just got a feeling, okay? I just know..."  
"Are you even aware of what language they speak?"  
"I don' care! I already have to deal with you and them Mayans; I don't plan on dealing with someone else!"  
"Do not assume, Jedediah," he warned. "I shall go speak with the royal family."  
"Well you ain't going alone!"

"Excuse me!" Octavius announced, walking into what appeared to be the housing of the royal family. "Is anyone here? We mean no harm."  
A door opened a crack at the end of the room and out stepped an old couple.  
"Hello?" he called.  
"Qui êtes-vous?" the woman asked.  
"Excuse me?" Jed asked, stepping forward.  
"Stay. I believe they speak French. Allow me." He pushed past the cowboy. "Mon nom est Octave, et je viens en paix avec mon ami."  
"What'd you tell 'em, Octy?" he whispered.  
"I told them my name and that I come in peace with you."  
"Où es-tu?" the old man asked.  
"Je viens de Rome et mon ami, Jedediah, originaire de l'Ouest ancienne des États-Unis d'Amérique," Octavius replied.  
He seemed to nod in approval.  
"Êtes-vous de la famille royale?" the Roman asked.  
"Oui," they replied simply.  
"Êtes-vous le droit d'auteur seulement?"  
"Non, notre fille vit ici aussi. Souhaitez-vous des soins à sa rencontre?"  
His eyes brightened. "Oui!"  
They turned to a dark cherry door. "Clara, sortir, mon chéri."  
"What's going on?" Jed hissed.  
"We are going to meet the princess."  
"L'introduction, la princesse Clara de la France!" the couple announced.  
Both men turned their eyes eagerly to the door, which began to open slowly. The clack of heels on the marble floor was heard as the princess stepped into view. Long blonde hair flowed down her back, decorated with a small golden crown. Clothed in a long, red dress and cape while adorned with golden earrings and necklace, she smiled.  
Jed and Octavius melted at the sight. She was the most beautiful thing their eyes had ever seen.  
"Bonjour," she giggled.


	2. Something's Not Right

"Oh god, she's gorgeous," Jed breathed.  
"I concur," Octavius agreed, staring blankly at Clara. He stepped forward. "Clara, tu es belle."  
She blushed. "Je vous remercie, Octavius..."  
"Vous semblez comme un honnête homme, Octavius," the queen observed.  
"Je vous remercie, ma dame," he replied.  
"That ain't fair," Jed mumbled. "You can talk all you want with them and I don't understand no word you're saying!"  
"If you had taken time to actually learn a foreign language, perhaps you would be able to speak with the princess," he smirked.  
"That ain't fair!" he repeated. "You think you're so great, cause yer a Roman general and whatnot, but you know what? I'm gonna teach the girl English, so I can speak to her in a natural language!"  
"French is a perfectly natural language, Jedediah. Just because you do not know it does not make it unnatural."  
"Well... well..."  
"Cease your chatter. We must hear what they have to say."  
"Votre ami semble plutôt ... impair," the princess giggled. "Qui est-il?"  
"Son nom est Jedediah, princesse. Il peut ne pas sembler beaucoup, mais il est un fidèle allié. S'il vous plaît, pensez à bien vouloir de lui. Il ne parle pas français, vous voyez, et il ne peut pas nous comprendre."  
"Quelle langue il parle?" she inquired.  
"Anglais. Puis-je vous demander si vous êtes autorisé à quitter votre palais?"  
"Oui, elle est," the queen answered. "Mais seulement jusqu'à quatre heures du matin, monsieur. Soyez sûr de garder son coffre-fort."  
"Bien sûr."  
Octavius smiled as he took Clara's arm in his own and led her out the doors, followed by a fuming Jed.

~*~

"Jedediah, I shall take Clara to Rome. There is no need for you to accompany us."  
"What makes you think ya get the princess to yourself?" the cowboy hissed. "I told you, it ain't fair that you get her to yourself!"  
He leaned in toward her and flashed a smile that set her heart ablaze.  
"Jedediah," she blushed.  
"She said my name," he grinned, giddy that she had remembered. "Yeah, I'm Jed."  
"Jedediah," she repeated. Secretly, she loved the way it rolled off her tongue. The taste of the boy's names on her lips was tantalizing, as they were so strange to her, but they were so beautiful. Jedediah and Octavius...  
"Clara."  
Her thoughts were interrupted by the cowboy's voice speaking her name. She adored the way they said her name too. It made her feel so normal, yet so special at the same time. Octavius stood inbetween her and Jed, blocking his path to her.  
"Return to your home, Jedediah," he growled.  
"Fine. I've managed to impress 'er, so she'll be back."

~*~

"Je présente mes excuses pour le comportement de mon ami," he sighed. "Il peut être parfois une poignée"  
She giggled. "Très bien. Il est drôle!"  
It was then that Charlotte and Victoria took notice that they had emerged.  
"She is lovely," Victoria observed.  
"I don't like her," Charlotte growled. "Look at that!"  
She glanced around. "Look at what, Charlotte? I do not see anything in particular."  
"Are you blind, woman? Look at Octavius! He's falling head over heels for that fancy chick! And by the looks of it, ol' Jedediah is falling for her too!"


End file.
